The Lipman Family Foundation Inc
The Lipman Family Foundation Inc is a private family foundation established in 1959 and granted tax-exempt status in October 1960. Based in New York, NY, the foundation operates as a trustee-directed grantmaking organization with total assets exceeding $54 million. The foundation distributes approximately $2.5 million annually across a range of charitable organizations, with a particular emphasis on art museums, scientific research, educational institutions, conservation organizations, human services, and philanthropic initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$54.3M
+11.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.5M
+0.9% YoY
Grant Count
73
+12.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$35K
-10.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lipman Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $3.2M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities include:
- Arts & Culture: Support for art museums and contemporary art initiatives
- Education: General education and science education programs
- Youth Education: Community development and educational enrichment
- Scientific Research: Fostering curiosity through science
- Conservation: Environmental protection and preservation efforts
- Philanthropy & Voluntarism: Support for grantmaking organizations and philanthropic infrastructure
- Human Services: Various charitable contributions to public charities
- Civic Engagement: Community development initiatives
The foundation is particularly known for its support of contemporary art, having established the Lipman Acquisitions Endowment at the San Jose Museum of Art to expand the museum's collection of modern and contemporary works.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grantmaking is trustee-directed with no fixed deadlines or application cycles—grants are awarded throughout the year to preselected organizations.
Grant Range
& Activity:**
Average Grant
amounts vary by program area, ranging from $500 to $65,295
Review Cycle
or application cycles—grants are awarded throughout the year to preselected organizations.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is national in scope, with primary concentration in California, New York, and Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024-2025):
- Total Assets: $48.9 million to $54.3 million
- Total Annual Giving: $2.5 million
- Total Revenue: $3.7 million
- Total Expenses: $2.9 million
- Number of Employees: 0
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $54,340,086 | $48,890,935 | $48,177,949 |
| Revenue | $8,479,749 | $3,737,145 | $193,006 |
| Expenses | $3,030,598 | $2,877,867 | $5,131,496 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,537,648 | $2,513,510 | $4,821,298 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,122,352 | $3,372,277 | $188,599 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,158,948 | $2,972,473 | $2,824,635 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Montalvo ($294,648), Shrem Museum of Art at Uc Davis ($210,000), Gsa Foundation ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACLU FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | TO PROTECT ABORTION | $15,000 |
| ACTERRA PALO ALTO, CA | TO CREATE LOCAL SOLUTIONS FOR A HEALTHY PLANET | $5,000 |
| SHREM MUSEUM OF ART AT UC DAVIS DAVIS, CA | TO SUPPORT ART | $210,000 |
| ASIAN ART MUSEUM SAN FRANCISCO, CA | TO BRING THE DIVERSE CULTURES OF ASIA TO LIFE | $2,000 |
| BAY AREA LYME FOUNDATION PORTOLA VALLEY, CA | TO ACCELERATE MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS FOR LYME DISEASE | $2,000 |
| CA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES SAN FRANCISCO, CA | TO PROMOTE SCIENCE | $349 |
| CA STATE PARKS FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE CALIFORNIA STATE PARK SYSTEM | $5,000 |
| CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS EDUCATION FUND LOS ANGELES, CA | TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS | $5,000 |
| CALIFORNIA TRANSPORTATION FOUNDATION SACRAMENTO, CA | TO SUPPORT CTF PROGRAMS | $25,000 |
| CANTOR ART CENTER (STANFORD) STANFORD, CA | TO PROMOTE ARTS | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Beverly S. Lipman – President (7 hours/week)
- Peter W. Lipman – Vice President (5 hours/week)
- Timothy E. Lipman – Treasurer (1 hour/week)
- Benjamin H. Lipman – Secretary (1 hour/week)
- Susan Shaheen – Director
The foundation represents multi-generational family commitment to philanthropy, with leadership composed primarily of family members.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSAN SHAHEEN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| BEVERLY S LIPMAN | PRESIDENT | 7 | — |
| PETER W LIPMAN | VICE PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| TIMOTHY E LIPMAN | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| BENJAMIN H LIPMAN | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: c/o Lester Greenberg 1350 Broadway New York, NY 10018
Phone: (650) 269-5295
Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or published contact information for grant inquiries. Unsolicited funding requests are not accepted.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Lipman Family Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities include: • **Arts & Culture**: Support for art museums and contemporary art initiatives • **Education**: General education and science education programs • **Youth Education**: Community development and educational enrichment • **Scientific Research**: Fostering curiosity through science • **Conservation**: Environmental protection and preservation efforts • **Philanthropy & Voluntarism**: …
How do I apply for a grant from The Lipman Family Foundation Inc?
**Grant Range & Activity:** • Grant range: $300 to $2,378,675 • Median grant amount: $5,000 • Average grant amounts vary by program area, ranging from $500 to $65,295 • Annual giving: Approximately $2.5 million • Number of grants awarded: 65-133 grants annually (varies by year) • Giving rate: 5.2% of assets **Application Process:** The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grantmaking is trustee-directed with no fixed deadlines or ap…
Where does The Lipman Family Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking is national in scope, with primary concentration in California, New York, and Washington, DC.
What size grants does The Lipman Family Foundation Inc award?
In 2025, The Lipman Family Foundation Inc awarded 73 grants totaling $2.5M — an average of about $35K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Lipman Family Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Lipman Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $3.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Lipman Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Lipman Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6066963. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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